What's the weather been like in the garden?It rained on Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday this week!A sneaky frost on Thursday of -2C came unannounced but caused no harm in the garden that is all set for winter now.

During this cold, wet weather we've had the wood heater on all day. We make the most of the heat source using it to heat our water (via the kettle) and cooking stock, soups and stews. That makes the whole house smell great!

A sad, soggy look at the Main Vegetable Gardenat the end of Autumn 2010

I took the chance for a last planting of Peas and Broad Beans before the rain set in. The beans and bush peas went into the Kitchen Garden and the climbing peas on the edge of Bed 3 in the Main Veg Garden.

I rescued a few Celery volunteers out of some potted Xanthorrhoea. Two of the larger celery plants were planted into the Dog Pen wicking beds!

While I was checking those beds I noticed a bit of leaf damage on the Cauliflowers there. No sign of any caterpillars but I found a few earwigs so I've put the hose traps back out.The soil must be warmer in the wicking beds because the earwigs aren't usually active at this time of the year. Oh well at least it means the chookies get some extra 'earwig protein' on these colder days.

The Broad (Fava) Beans in Bed 2 have been flowering for a while now and are setting fruit despite the frosty mornings we've had.

Those Beet family greens keep on coming, they loved the rain!

As did the Peas and Garlic

Because the Peas are in a separate Wicking Bed they are at less risk of the bad Companion planting effects of the garlic. They are in different soil so the anti bacterial effect of the garlic won't harm the bacteria in the soil which the peas depend on to fix nitrogen from the air for their use.

Ooops! I leave some of the seedling punnets in cat litter trays to help keep them moist...I usually take them out before it rains, guess I forgot these!

Weekly Harvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.Ginger***212gParsnip Hollow Crown***155gPeas Sugar Snap***57gIt's been a bit too wet to harvest much out in the main garden and I've just been sneaking some Parcel, Sea Celery and Onion tops from under the pergola to add to our breakfast scrambled eggs.

Eggs 17 From the Farmyard Ferals17 From the Barnevelders20 From the Faverolles

Even though Doc and I have added more sheets of iron for shelter in their run the chooks don't seem to know that they should stay out of the rain.So I've been giving warm mash each morning. For a special treat they have enjoyed cooked rice with a couple of cans of sardines mixed through with the addition of a few cloves (crushed) of garlic to ward off any ill effects of the cold!

Maybe it is sinking in slowly. These three Faverolles thought it was too cold to venture outside into the rain and decided to stay in bed!

To see how the various Garden areas fit on our half acre block check out the newest map of our place HERE

What's the weather been like in the garden?Chilly mornings with a few light frosts, warming up to beautiful sunny days with little wind.All set to change this weekend with some wild, wintry and hopefully wet weather!The local farmers have been out seeding their crops so it must mean rain!Winter is very close now!

In the Garden This week:I have tidied the shade house and potting benches, emptying out old pots and recycling the better potting mix by using it to fill the big pots that now live under the pergola.After ensuring the mixture was damp I added a bucket of coir (which had fish emulsion and seaweed extract added to the soaking water) and mixed it well.

Once the pots were filled I planted out some tiny seedlings of Coriander, Lettuces, Spinach and Parsley. Each pot had a small clump of either Tree Onions or Shallots planted into them. I'll cut the green leaves off these for salads as they grow.

Most of the Trees For Life plants are doing really well, some of the acacias are having problems with the potting mixture this year. The Eucalypts are ready for planting.The landholder I'm growing these for is waiting for "about an inch of rain" so that he can "rip" the ground to enable the planting holes to be dug.I think that might just happen this week with any luck!

The plants at the bottom of the photo are some of the Saltbush seedlings I am growing for the Community Garden windbreak. These plants have been pruned to encourage side growth and should be planted in the coming weeks.The Health Team has been successful in getting some funding to allow us to purchase the necessary irrigation supplies, without which it would be pointless planting anything at the site.

Cheeky little Nasturtiumsare volunteering in the Kitchen Garden...I wonder if they will survive this years winter

Weekly Harvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.Mangel-wurzel Leaves***600gMixed Kale***161gGolden Beet***87gParsley***63gParcel***30gCelery Soup/Chinese***40gLima Beans***280gSugarsnap Peas***107gCapsicum King of the North***138gCapsicum Hungarian Yellow Wax***160g (Rescued from the frost)

Apples Golden Delicious***769gApples Red Fuji***757g

Eggs 13 From the Farmyard Ferals12 From the Barnevelders11 From the Faverolles

To see how the various Garden areas fit on our half acre block check out the newest Map of our place HERE

What's the weather been like in the garden?We are getting our first frosts of the year! The first being Wednesday 12 May a low of -2C.Considering that was the same as our lowest minimum for all of 2009 I think we are back to normal for our winters after last years very mild winter.

Friday morning's low of -3C was 7 degrees below normal for this time of year!!!

It is interesting to note that our Northworld neighbours had some nasty frosts this week too. Poor Matron had damage to her 'hardening off' tomato plants.While over in Skippy's Garden they also had a nippy night and are hoping they have seen the last of the frosts for 2010.

I dug up some Duck Potatoes Sagittaria sagittifolia syn. Sagittaria sinensis. I didn't think they had survived the summer this year but there were quite a few tubers (although tiny). I have put them into a couple of buckets with soil and water in the hot house for winter.Read more about growing these curious water plants here.I have also rescued some Waterchestnuts to replant next spring.

In the Garden This week:

Lots of cuttings have been taken. Some from plants that are at risk of becoming frost damaged. Some of the cuttings have been placed in the hothouse for winter now that the frosts have arrived!

On Monday I tidied the Sweet Potato patch, added a couple of large containers of water (to retain some warmth) and covered the main growing parts with fleece.

Back Pergola:Planted the 3 Wicking Boxes with green salad plants. Tidied the Native (Sea) Parsley Apium prostratum and Parcel that were already in the boxes.

Dog Pen Garden:Prune back the Sweet Potato that is threatening to take over the whole garden!! The frosts are helping with this one! See above for frost protection methods.

Almond Area:Replace tyres around Tangelo for a winter sun trap. The black tyres catch heat during the day and slowly release it at night providing a little frost protection, along with the rocks at the base of the tree.

Weekly Harvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.Beetroot Golden***212gKale Mixed***275gMangel-Wurzel Leaves***850gPeas Sugarsnap***71g

Apples Red Fuji***1081g

Eggs:14 From the Farmyard Ferals14 From the Barnevelders 9 From the Faverolles

To see how the various Garden areas fit on our half acre block check out the newest Map of our place HERE

Sunday, 9 May 2010

What's the weather been like in the garden?It was so windy on Tuesday that the promised rain was blown away Frosts are forecast this week so some preparation is needed.

Propagation:Planting out:

Mixed Kale seedlings into the Kitchen Garden with Lovage and Valerian. Sheltered from earwigs and slaters by cut down pots. The edges of the pots help to keep the dripper fed water right where the seedlings need it.

In the Garden This week:After the very busy week last week little was done in the garden this week. With meetings and outings taking priority. But it will be back to that list next week...I hope.

Spiny Cheeked Honeyeaters (Acanthagenys rufogularis)have been visiting the garden lately.Check out the Fact sheet about them Here

They are eating the fruits off theEnchylaena tomentosa, a native saltbush.

On the Beet Bed (bed5) the greens just keep coming.

The Golden Beetroots are bulbing up,soon to be picked.

The early planted Broad Beans are flowering

and attracting Ladybirds.

The peas in the Fence Wicking Bed have emergedyou may need to click on the photo to see them!

The Garlic is growing welland behind it you'll see the wire racksI have put over the peas to stop the birds getting them.

The Parsley has taken off in Bed 4 ,the bunch at the front went to makea great Tabouli Salad on the weekend.

Weekly Harvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.Kale Mixed leaves***180gMangelwurzel leaves***409gParsley***130g

Apple- Golden Delicious***673g

Eggs 11 From the Farmyard Ferals8 From the Barnevelders5 From the Faverolles

The Farmyard Ferals are beginning to moult......neck first

To see how the various Garden areas fit on our half acre block check out the newest Map of our place HERE

In the Garden This week:Well posting that To Do List worked! I managed to get so much done in the garden this week.Breaking the work down into sections like that was so much easier than wandering around and thinking "there is just too much to do". I'm well on the way through that list already!So far I've completed the:

...and the fence that has been removedto reveal the Dog Pen Garden bedswhich will now become an extension of the Kitchen Garden.The Berry Bed has been tidied and the shade removed.The old stems have been cut downand Red Shallots divided and planted.

and I have set up 3 wicking boxesunder the Back Pergola!

Weekly Harvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.Beetroot Heirloom Mixture***60gKale Mixed leaves***250gMangelwurzel leaves***158gParsley***75gParsnip- Hollow Crown***77g

Apple- Golden Delicious***1304g

Eggs 17 From the Farmyard Ferals10 From the Barnevelders6 From the Faverolles

Barnie has decided that this tyremakes a nice warm nesting spot!

To see how the various Garden areas fit on our half acre block check out the newest Map of our place HERE

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I live in a rural township in the dry Mid North of South
Australia on three town blocks giving us a total of half an acre.
We endure extremely hot and dry summers only to be greeted with frosty
mornings during our increasingly dry winter months.
Despite this harsh climate we manage to grow much of our own food.
Water is scarce and many measures are taken to utilise every drop we
have.
Our garden beds are shaded (during summer), heavily mulched, humus rich
and most are now converted to wicking worm beds. With qualifications in both Horticulture and Permaculture I have fun experimenting with different ways to grow our food!